Summer reading to save the world!

Two of the most important books written on the issue of the sustainability of our world are available in the book section of Sustain Ability. "Limits to Growth-The 30 year Update" by Meadows, Rander and Meadows was written to assess the predictions of the original Limits to Growth book which was published in 1972 and introduced (to much derision) the idea that were limits on the amount of population growth and resource exploitation that our ecosystem could sustain before suffering a crash. Analysis in 2002 showed the original predictions were within 1% accurate, and continue to show that our civilization is headed towards a staggering collapse of food per capita, population, industrial productions, etc.... if we do nothing. The predictions suggest that between 2020 and 2035, the "overshoot" of unsustainable production and growth will catch up to us and bring down our ability to provide for our needs.... if we do nothing. Fortunately, there is a change in the wind. Everyone has had to face the reality of humanity reaching the limits to growth, and changes are taking place. Whether these changes are going to be soon enough, and strong enough, is still to be seen. The book shows a variety of scenarios from "continue as is til collapse" to "concerted international action to live sustainably", and you can see the impact of these interventions in charts detailing life expectancy, food per capita, pollution, industrial production, population, etc. You can also get the CD that is designed to supplement the book so you can put in your own assumptions about how quickly we change, and the impact that has on the above values. This is definitely the book that finally prompted action to deal with the approaching crash (if we do nothing). Another important book is the Transition Handbook, by Rob Hopkins, looking at the impact of Peak Oil on our way of life. Energy costs are on an unstoppable upward trajectory worldwide. Why? Because demand is passing supply, as supply begins to decline. The world has been pumping oil for 150 years, and in that time has used up approximately 50% of all available oil. At the rate of current use, we have only 50 or so years of oil left. What happens then? Well, the answer to that question depends a lot on how you start preparing for that time. The time to begin preparing is now, and the Handbook looks at how to envision the not-too-distant future when we will have to get by on much less fossil fuel than we do now. Petroleum products are used everywhere - in heating, in transportation, in agriculture, in manufacturing, in delivery of goods. Can you imagine living on 10% of the amount of oil you currently use (not just the oil you use in your car or home furnace, but the oil used to create fertilizers, and then to transport food and goods around the world to you? Both these books are available in the store, as well as a large selection of 120 other titles on Renewable Energy, Green Building and Remodeling, Organic Farming, Gardening and Cooking, as well as other titles for kids, for teachers and general titles on sustainability. Come by and see what we have.

Posted on July 15, 2009 by Malik Haig